A heavy silence follows Cora's questions.

Alek had never heard of an anchor for werewolves, but he's a smart cookie. He can put two and two together enough to figure out what that must mean. He knows his brothers work as anchors of sorts for him. They're what keep him tethered to the world long enough to keep from exploding. Or that's what it feels like sometimes, anyway. Like he'll explode. But once that full moon comes, there's nothing and there's no one. There's you and the cage.

There is no softening this blow. Alek slowly shakes his head. "I'm sorry."